Sustainability Commission

City of Sunnyvale Meeting Minutes - Final Sustainability Commission Monday, July 20, 2020 7:00 PM Telepresence Meeting: City Web Stream CALL TO ORDER Pursuant to Section 3 of Executive Order N-29-20, issued by Governor Newsom on March 17, 2020, the meeting was conducted telephonically. Chair Paton called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. via teleconference. ROLL CALL Present: 6 - Chair Bruce Paton Vice Chair Kristel Wickham Commissioner Stephen Joesten Commissioner Douglas Kunz Commissioner Shana Padgett Commissioner Murali Srinivasan Council Liaison – Mayor Larry Klein (present) Chair Paton, Vice Chair Wickham, all Commissioners, and Councilmember attended via teleconference. PRESENTATION 20-0692 PRESENTATION - Final Draft Active Transportation Plan Find the full plan here: Sunnyvale.ca.gov/news/topics/atp/default.htm <https://sunnyvale.ca.gov/news/topics/atp/default.htm> Lillian Tsang, Principal Transportation Engineer, and Dennis Ng, Transportation and Traffic Manager, presented on the Final Draft of the Sunnyvale Active Transportation Plan (ATP). Ms. Tsang gave an overview of the ATP update process and presented a summary of key elements of the ATP: the Bicycle Plan, Pedestrian Plan, and Safe Routes to School Plan. Commissioners asked clarifying questions City of Sunnyvale Page 1 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final July 20, 2020 and staff provided responses. The Commission appreciated the level of community engagement conducted during the development of the Plan. The Commission reiterated some of the suggestions made by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission related to addressing bicycle network gaps, improving the low-stress spine network, and considering a flexible mechanism for easily making simpler updates to the Plan. 20-0691 PRESENTATION - Climate Action Playbook Quarterly Update Nupur Hiremath, Environmental Programs Manager, and Madeline Willett, Environmental Engineering Coordinator, presented on the progress of the Climate Action Playbook. Ms. Hiremath gave an overview of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated budget adjustments on CAP implementation. Ms. Willett summarized the ongoing monitoring of progress and the anticipated updates to be provided to the community through an interactive online dashboard in Fall 2020. Commissioners asked clarifying questions and staff provided responses. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS None. CONSENT CALENDAR 1 20-0695 Approve the Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes of June 15, 2020 Vice Chair Wickham moved, and Commissioner Kunz seconded, a motion to approve the consent calendar. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Paton Vice Chair Wickham Commissioner Joesten Commissioner Kunz Commissioner Padgett Commissioner Srinivasan No: 0 PUBLIC HEARINGS/GENERAL BUSINESS 2 20-0688 SPECIFIC PLAN AMENDMENT: Amend the Downtown Sunnyvale Specific Plan City of Sunnyvale Page 2 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final July 20, 2020 Location: Downtown Sunnyvale File #: 2017-8047 Zoning: DSP Applicant/Owner: City of Sunnyvale Environmental Review (SCH # 2018052020): Adopt a resolution to make findings required by CEQA, certify the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and adopt a Statement of Overriding Considerations and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program. Project Planner: Michelle King, (408) 730-7463, mking@sunnyvale.ca.gov Council liaison, Mayor Larry Klein, stated he owns property in the vicinity of the Downtown, recused himself, and turned his video off to listen to the meeting as a member of the public at 9:05 p.m. Michelle King, Principal Planner, Trudi Ryan, Director of Community Development, and Andy Miner, Assistant Director of Community Development, assisted by a consultant team, presented on the amendments proposed to the Sunnyvale Downtown Specific Plan (DSP). City staff described how the amended DSP prioritizes high-density mixed-use development and highlighted other sustainability elements. Chair Paton opened the public hearing. Travis Duncan of Sares Regis Group, the developer working on the CityLine project, provided comments in support of the proposed amendments to the Downtown Specific Plan. He highlighted the sustainability aspects of the CityLine project and its alignment with the City’s Green Building Program. Josh Rupert of Hunter Storm, a commercial development group, highlighted the sustainability aspects of their projects in the downtown area, including transportation demand management, improved bicycle infrastructure, and enhanced electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Chair Paton closed the public hearing. The Commission supported the high-density housing development proposed in the Plan to facilitate transit-oriented development, which is aligned with CAP Play 3.1. City of Sunnyvale Page 3 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final July 20, 2020 Commissioner Joesten moved, and Commissioner Kunz seconded, a motion to recommend Alternative 2 to the City Council to approve the amended Downtown Specific Plan as it relates to sustainability with the following proposed modifications: (1) Enhance opportunities for electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with a focus on DC fast chargers; (2) Suggest promoting additional shared parking as a public benefit in section 5.2.C3 to further discourage single-occupancy vehicles; (3) Prioritize implementation of parking strategies, such as paid parking, in the downtown area, per CAP Move 3.B; (4) Preserve natural and heritage resources during project development review; (5) Consider encouraging bicycle parking facilities; (6) Consider transportation demand management programs for downtown employers; (7) Ensure that all new development is aligned with most recent City policies to incentivize or prioritize all-electric buildings; and (8) Incorporate references to specific Plays from the Climate Action Playbook into the Downtown Specific Plan. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Paton Vice Chair Wickham Commissioner Joesten Commissioner Kunz Commissioner Padgett Commissioner Srinivasan No: 0 Council liaison, Mayor Larry Klein, turned his video back on at 10:48 p.m. 3 20-0690 Consideration for Adding a Member to the Sustainability City of Sunnyvale Page 4 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final July 20, 2020 Speaker Series Subcommittee Vice Chair Wickham described the intention and responsibilities of the Sustainability Speaker Series Subcommittee. Chair Paton opened the floor for nominations. Commissioner Padgett nominated herself. Chair Paton closed the floor for nominations. Vice Chair Wickham moved, and Commissioner Kunz seconded, a motion to appoint Commissioner Padgett to the Sustainable Speaker Series subcommittee. The motion carried by the following vote: Yes: 6 - Chair Paton Vice Chair Wickham Commissioner Joesten Commissioner Kunz Commissioner Padgett Commissioner Srinivasan No: 0 4 20-0689 Selection of Chair and Vice Chair Chair Paton opened the floor for nominations for the office of the Chair. Commissioner Kunz nominated Vice Chair Wickham to serve as Chair. Vice Chair Wickham accepted the nomination. With no further nominations, Chair Paton closed the floor for nominations for the office of Chair. The Commissioners voted to elect Vice Chair Wickham to serve as Chair as follows: Yes: 6 - Chair Paton Vice Chair Wickham Commissioner Joesten Commissioner Kunz Commissioner Padgett Commissioner Srinivasan City of Sunnyvale Page 5 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final July 20, 2020 No: 0 Vice Chair Wickham was elected as Chair of the Sustainability Commission. Chair Paton opened the floor for nominations for the office of Vice Chair. Commissioner Kunz nominated himself. With no further nominations, Chair Paton closed the floor for nominations for the office of the Vice Chair. The Commissioners voted to elect Commissioner Kunz as the Vice Chair as follows: Yes: 6 - Chair Paton Vice Chair Wickham Commissioner Joesten Commissioner Kunz Commissioner Padgett Commissioner Srinivasan No: 0 Commissioner Kunz was elected as Vice Chair of the Sustainability Commission. STANDING ITEM: CONSIDERATION OF POTENTIAL STUDY ISSUES None. NON-AGENDA ITEMS & COMMENTS -Commissioner Comments Vice Chair Wickham shared that Silicon Valley Clean Energy’s Building Decarbonization Joint Action Plan draft is available for public comment and encouraged Commissioners to review it. She also provided a brief overview of the updated Menlo Park Climate Action Plan that was approved last week. Commissioner Joesten shared that Silicon Valley Leadership Group is hosting Silicon Valley Energy and Sustainability Summit on August 7, 2020. City of Sunnyvale Page 6 Sustainability Commission Meeting Minutes - Final July 20, 2020 Commissioner Padgett shared that she attended the Canopy Resilient Trees webinar and recommended that Commissioners review the webinar recording. Chair Paton shared that he will be attending the virtual Climate Reality Project training later this week. -Staff Comments Nupur Hiremath, Environmental Programs Manager, announced that there is a current opening on the Sustainability Commission. Madeline Willett, Environmental Engineering Coordinator, announced that the Chair and Vice Chair training would be held on July 23, 2020 at 5:30 p.m. INFORMATION ONLY REPORTS/ITEMS 20-0694 2020 Annual Master Work Plan ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 11:05 p.m. City of Sunnyvale Page 7